New English Translation
Job 7:17
17“What is mankind that you make so much of them, and that you pay attention to them?
Job 7:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
- New International Version (NIV)“What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention,
- English Standard Version (ESV)What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him,
Context of Job 7:17
15so that I would prefer strangling, and death more than life. 16I loathe it; I do not want to live forever; leave me alone, for my days are a vapor! “What is mankind that you make so much of them, and that you pay attention to them? 18And that you visit them every morning, and try them every moment? 19Will you never look away from me, will you not let me alone long enough to swallow my spittle?
Read all of Job 7Job 7:17 word by word
מָֽה־אֱ֭נוֹשׁ כִּ֣י תְגַדְּלֶ֑נּוּ וְכִי־תָשִׁ֖ית אֵלָ֣יו לִבֶּֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 7:17
- Psalms 8:4Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them? Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them,
- Psalms 144:3O Lord, of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them? Of what importance is mankind, that you should be concerned about them?
- Hebrews 2:6Instead someone testified somewhere: “What is man that you think of him or the son of man that you care for him?
- Job 7:12Am I the sea, or the creature of the deep, that you must put me under guard?
- 1 Samuel 24:14Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea?
- Job 34:14If God were to set his heart on it, and gather in his spirit and his breath,
Commentaries on Job 7:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17What is man that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? - Two different ideas have been drawn from these words: - Man is not worth thy notice; why therefore dost thou contend with him? How astonishing is thy kindness that thou shouldest fix thy heart - thy strongest affections, on such a poor, base, vile, impotent creature as man, (אנוש enosh ), that thou shouldest so highly exalt him beyond all other creatures, and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? - That thou shouldst make him great, or that thou shouldst regard him as of so great importance as to fix thine eye attentively upon him. The idea here is, that it was unworthy the character of so great a being as God to bestow so much time and attention on a creature so insignificant as man; and especially that man could not be of so much importance that it was necessary for God to watch all his defects with…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 Job reasons with God concerning his dealings with man. But in the midst of this discourse, Job seems to have lifted up his thoughts to God with some faith and hope. Observe the concern he is in about his sins. The best men have to complain of sin; and the better they are, the more they will complain of it. God is the Preserver of our lives, and the Saviour of the souls of all that believe; but probably Job meant the Observer of men, whose…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-18that You should exalt him: Compare with Psalm 8:4–5, which expresses similar thoughts in a positive way. attend (Hebrew paqad): In Psalm 8:4, this term means "to honor or care for." Job used it ironically to mean "You bother yourself" (compare with "punished," Isaiah 26:14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. (Psa 8:4; 144:3). Job means, "What is man that thou shouldst make him [of so much importance], and that thou shouldst expend such attention [or, heart-thought] upon him" as to make him the subject of so severe trials? Job ought rather to have reasoned from God's condescending so far to notice man as to try him, that there must be a wise and loving purpose in trial. David uses the same words, in their right application, to express wonder that God…Read the comment
Topics related to Job 7:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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